Flexible, lightweight curtain systems are increasingly being used as outer walls for structures housing animals in agricultural environments. These movable curtain systems frequently include long spans of vertically spaced roll-up curtain sections which are opened and closed for the purpose of controlling the environment within the structure for the benefit of the animals therein. The curtains are opened at high temperatures, closed at low temperatures, and are intermediately positioned at moderate temperatures. The goal is to precisely control the openings formed by the curtains for optimum comfort of the animals.
As the length and weight of the curtain sections increases to accommodate larger building structures, the curtain support and drive mechanisms have increased in size and complexity. This trend has made it more difficult to precisely control the extent to which the curtain sections are open or closed. This has also led to increased size and numbers of support/control mechanisms which has reduced the open portion of the curtain wall through which air flows into and out of the structure.
The present invention addresses the aforementioned limitations of the prior art by providing a compact support/control mechanism capable of vertically displacing long sections of vertically spaced curtains for precisely controlling airflow into and out of a generally closed structure. In addition, the present invention contemplates the use of water curtains disposed adjacent to and inwardly of the curtain sections for directing in a controlled manner moist air through the enclosed space in precisely controlling the environment therein for optimum comfort.